Turn Intention Into Abiding
A lot of us make new year’s resolutions…and well, not a lot of us are still sticking to them at this point of the year. I used to be majorly into goal setting - especially SMART goals. And while there is nothing wrong with a good goal, I think where can get it wrong as Christians is when our goal sounds something like, “This year, I’m going to work on being more patient.” For many years, that was my goal along with having more joy.
But a few years ago, I read a book that changed my entire philosophy on how we can go about producing thing like joy and patience in our lives. It was interesting to see how I had turned “becoming a good Christian” into a measurable goal - one that really is only measurable by standards I create in my own head. Already, this should have been a pretty good warning sign that striving was at work and not grace. But the Lord is truly so gracious to us and led me to see things in a different light.
Scripture says that when we remain and abide in, dwell and linger with the Lord, we will bear much fruit (John 15). It also goes on to say that we cannot bear any fruit apart from partnering with Him. When we look to Galatians 5, we see what fruit in the life of a believer looks like…love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. This kind of fruit though isn’t fruit we can produce by our own effort or through behavioral modification if we want it to remain healthy, nourishing, and God-honoring.
It’s the kind of fruit that is produced through sowing seeds into our relationship with the Lord. Not just remaining consistent in spiritual disciplines…but truly and intentionally seeking to get to know the Lord as we would an earthly best friend. What would it look like to throw striving out the window - the ideal perfect quiet time out the window - and learn to just BE with the Lord?
Listen, I am a former striving perfectionist. I am ever learning to not paint things in extremes but rather, how to walk the path the Lord has for me. And I think I’ve learned something - intentional discipline is great…putting in those spiritual reps in the spiritual gym are important. They help us steward hard and holy moments with grace, confidence, and humility.
But being spiritually disciplined isn’t everything. It’s part of something greater. It’s intended to foster safety and intimacy within our relationship with the Lord. In our home, we have rules and expectations that keep everyone safe and on the same page. We have things we regularly do as a family that draw us together and foster conversation within our home. What if spiritual disciplines are intended to do the same? Not to be used as a measuring system for how well or poorly we are doing in our walk with the Lord?
If I had the whole Bible memorized, but yet did not understand God’s love for me I think we would all say that I’m missing something. But if my pursuit of time in the Word comes from a heart that yearns to know Creator God more deeply; the heart of my perfect Father more intimately, the ways of Best Friend more thoroughly, and the mind of the greatest Counselor more fully? Suddenly, it’s not just a spiritual discipline to cross off of my to-do list. The same goes with prayer, or scripture memory, or doing good works that point to Christ.
When we seek to spend time with Him just to be with Him, things change. When we intentionally set aside a portion of our day just to hear His voice, our hearts begin to transform. When we look to the Word as our compass for what is true, our mindsets have grounding unlike anything this world has to offer.
When we learn to enjoy the Lord’s presence, and we stop making it a check-list item, it’s impossible for fruit to not grow. And when we find we’ve fallen into making it a check-list item, we can simply ask Him a few intentional, heart-seeking questions and journal His response:
Lord, is there anything in my hear that’s getting in the way of wanting to spend time with You?
Lord, is there something about our time together that needs to change? What does that look like?
Lord, are You generating a new wineskin in this season? What old things are You asking me to let go of? What new things are You inviting me to receive from You?
Lord, what do You want to say to me about what our time together is like?
If our heart posture is to intentionally abide with Him, we will see change that isn’t measurable by anything other than the power of His Spirit at work within us it overflows from us.
May we all lean in to more fully live from the overflow of His presence.
Many blessings to you,
Hannah
